My Life With Garlic

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Chili Recipe

Here's an update on my hot chocolate obsession. I swear, you won't have to hear anymore about it, at least not for a while. Tom & I ventured down to Mariebelle's Cafe to see how their hot chocolate compares to Angelina's. We ordered two varieties, milk & dark European style. The milk chocolate didn't even come close, but, the dark one did. It was thick & creamy & slightly less rich than Angelina's. We gorged on chocolate bark & caramel cookies, too. We ate & drank so much chocolate that we got sick, but, if you're going to overindulged in something, why not chocolate? We bought a tin of cocoa, which was a little pricey. I'm still partial to Angelina's divine creation. Tom thinks the fact that we first tasted it in Paris may have a little something to do with it. I'll patiently wait for my care package from Yvonne.

Here's my chili recipe. Keep in mind that you do not need a crockpot to make this. This recipe can also be made with meat, but, I usually make it vegetarian, & trust me, it tastes so good, people think that there's meat in it. If you are going to add meat & cook it on your stove, brown the meat first in a skillet & drain the fat. If adding meat & using a crockpot no browning is necessary.

Ingredients
1 11oz can condensed black beans or bean soup
1 15oz can kidney beans, drain & rinse
1 11oz can beans, drain & rinse(you choose bean variety)
1 16oz can vegetarian beans
1 14oz can chopped tomato in puree
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TBLS chili powder
1 TBLS dry parsley
1 TBLS dry oregano
1 TBLS dry basil
1 TBLS cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Tabasco to taste depending on how spicy you like it(I use 1/2 tsp)
salt & pepper to taste
*you can also add an envelope of chili mix for extra spices
*For stove top cooking:if chili is too thick add a few cups of water

In crockpot cook on low for 8-9 hours.
On stove, cook on medium heat until bubbling, than lower & simmer until thick & tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream & shredded cheddar cheese.